Shapeshifter has this beautiful, hazy, yet fluid sense of movement, like it is guiding the listener through different dimensions of sound. Was there a particular moment in the recording process where you felt like you had fully unlocked the album’s identity? Or did it shapeshift (pun intended) throughout?
Glenn Brigman: I think I began to understand the identity of the record when I noticed the specific dimensions that each instrument was bringing to the equation. The way my Farfisa organ was combining with the Wurlitzer or Rhodes started pushing me deeper into a realm that I had begun to explore on the Starlight album. This album varies from Starlight in the way that I also added more synthesizer sounds to the palette, Korg MS20 and Roland Juno. I think in some ways the instrumentation created a new vibration, which then influenced the lyrics and attitudes behind each song. And thus, the Shapeshifter identity was created.
The album has a heavy emphasis on keys: Wurlitzer, Farfisa, all these warm, glowing textures. What drew you toward a more keyboard-forward approach this time around, and how do you think it reshaped the core of Triptides’ sound?
I have always played the piano. It was my first instrument as a kid. At some point in my teens I decided (as I am sure many young rock and rollers have) that the guitar was overall a cooler instrument to play in a band. So, I followed the guitar rock formula for a pretty long time after that, making albums based around guitar for about a decade. I began incorporating Farfisa organ around the Visitors album in an attempt to unlock the full Rick Wright, Floyd qualities that it brought to the recordings. Then I started adding electric piano when I was able to find a Wurlitzer 200. Eventually, I thought, why not just start crafting songs around the keys and not just adding them on later? And that was how Starlight was conceived, and to a greater extent the Shapeshifter album. I have always admired how groups like Stereolab and Air incorporated vintage keys into their sound while also bringing a totally fresh, modern perspective to what the keyboards are capable of. Klaus Johann Grobe is another group that does a great job of that. It is not all just “Light My Fire” and “The Logical Song” – you can really shape these instruments and create new and exciting combinations. I think that has given a different depth to the current Triptides sound.
You have mentioned recording in the San Bernardino Mountains, which sounds like an absolute dream. How much do you think the environment seeps into the sound of the record? Did the isolation and nature change how you approached songwriting or production?
I think there are certainly some elements of my environment that seep into the recordings: the lush pine and cedar trees, the blankets of fresh snow in the wintertime, the refreshing energy after jumping into a cool lake in the summertime. I imagine that there is a bit of that stuff melted into the tapes along with the music. I can also take my time with everything and turn up as loud as I need to because my house is built for cold winters with plenty of noise-canceling insulation. And then there is just something very satisfying about creating noise in the quiet of woods, bringing brand new music into the silent void.
There has always been this thread of time-traveling in Triptides’ music, whether it is ‘60s psych-pop, Laurel Canyon folk, or cosmic jazz-tinged moments. If Shapeshifter was a portal to a specific musical era or dreamlike world, where would it take listeners?
I think the Shapeshifter album is unique in the sense that I cannot really give it an exact time machine destination. I think it would lead more towards a dreamlike world or an alternate dimension. Maybe a different timeline where The Beatles continued into the 70s and got Stevie Wonder to play keys with them instead of Billy Preston. Or a world where all world conflicts have ended and love is the most important thing, but heartbreak can cause a nation to collapse.
You have spent over a decade building this incredibly rich and dynamic discography, yet each album feels like its own distinct universe. What keeps you excited about making new music? How do you push yourself to explore new creative territory without losing the essence of Triptides?
I think Triptides is such a sustainable musical world because it is not rooted in one particular genre or vibe. We have an entire garden of different inspirations and ideas that we water and grow. And sometimes you let the earth rest for a period and work on another garden or inspiration. We like so many diverse types of music that we need to keep exploring. That definitely keeps things exciting. But I think that the songwriting is what maintains the essence and provides the thread that ties everything together. And my vocals are pretty consistent as well, although I hope to have improved a little over the last 15 years.
So many of your songs feel like they exist outside of time, like they could be spinning on a dusty reel-to-reel in 1972 or floating through the airwaves in 2072. What is your relationship with nostalgia in your songwriting? Do you see it as an influence, a trap, or something else entirely?
Nostalgia can be a blessing and a curse creatively. You can get stuck in trying to capture it or you can let it happen when it happens and use it in a positive way. Recently I sent a new demo to a friend who replied, “this one makes me nostalgic, I am not sure why but maybe it is the chord progression.” I thought that was interesting because everyone defines nostalgia on their own terms. So, trying to use it as an influence can be dangerous because my definition of it could be vastly different than everybody else’s. But it is a powerful thing when you feel it. I had a music history teacher at Indiana University that would always say “never underestimate the power of nostalgia.” He was onto something.
From: https://www.psychedelicbabymag.com/2025/06/triptides-unveil-shapeshifter-with-exclusive-premiere-and-in-depth-interview.html
